User:Scarlettgrava/sandbox

Dress Codes

The concept of dress codes in school is familiar to most from elementary school up until the corporate workforce. The basis of dress coding starts with a teacher/facility member/coworker noticing the prohibited clothing and addressing it as a violation. The person affected will leave class/work to receive a talking to and often ends up covering up with other garments that aren't their own. Some common dress code restrictions targeted towards young girls are, no crop tops, no shorts, dresses, or skirts above the fingertips, no spaghetti straps or off-the-shoulder tops, no leggings, mandating bras, and covering bra straps. These are just a couple of the regular restrictions that are enforced on girls' bodies.

The "Free the Nipple" movement challenges double standards in societal norms while advocating for gender equality through dress codes. These regulations often permit men to go shirtless or at least wear a shirt without undergarments while women are often prohibited from attending school without abiding by these rules. It aims for equal treatment for men's and women's dress codes. It promotes self-acceptance and societal acceptance to challenge the stigma surrounding female bodies being sexualized. For example, the dress code policy from the Glenbrook South High School handbook states that an appropriate dress code, “promotes self-respect, balances social responsibility with self-expression and is free of distracting, disruptive, threatening or offensive diversions from the educational process.” Common stigmas include showing skin, nipples, and cleavage. “Free the Nipple” asserts that girls shouldn't get sexualized or policed for their natural autonomy. As some may see dress codes as something that's needed to reinforce traditional gender norms in school and professionalism in the workforce, others argue that a strict dress code contributes to the sexualization of young girls and perpetuates the idea that women's bodies are inherently provocative or distracting for others. It seeks to empower girls and women by giving them agency over their bodies and clothing choices.

Overall, the "Free the Nipple" movement catalyzes broader conversations about gender, autonomy, and societal norms, including those related to dress codes in various contexts, including schools.